A dippy crew
Very early start to be the first up the Wolverhampton 21, complete with primroses, and joy of joy—every single lock in our favour, the best of the three times we had climbed the locks. I mention 'every one' but there was just one that was full near the top of the flight, for would you believe, what She Who Must etc. etc. described as a dippy crew on a Anglo Welsh boat, had obviously filled the lock to come down, emptied it to get out, then filled it again! And no, there was no boat following them! Mind you I should have known it was a dippy lot, for as we were just coming into the lock below with the bottom gate wide open, one of them started to fill the lock, winding the top gate paddle. So much for their tuition!
In the past we had always moored at the top of the flight, and this time there was plenty of mooring, as no boats. But with the first day of the cruise with no rain, we soldiered on, especially as the forecast was of a downpour the following day.
In want of dredging
The Wolverhampton Level is certainly in want of dredging, as there was no way we could manage our normal revs, with 'She' likening the water to treacle. Mind you, after endless excursions into the weed hatch she wasn't too well enamoured of the waterway. And its ever constant streak of oil didn't help.
However, we met Land & Water doing much needed dredging, and the stuff they were fetching out, shows the cut is little more than the local dumping 'ground'. Though contractors, I've always thought that this company was well capable.
The water of the Wolverhampton Level is remarkable, with those 'treacle' stretches little better than grey mud and the inevitable rainbow of oil on the water, with other stretches so clear you can easily see the bottom.
Having done about every waterway in England, many more times than I care to remember, but only having done the Old Main Line once before, we chose this route into Birmingham, finally ending for the day at some handy offside British Waterways moorings at Tipton Green, that proved quiet and uneventful.
Ages of travel
I rather like the way the M5 is built over the actual waterway, it being most impressive, especially at one point where the Wolverhampton Level passes over the Main Line, with the motorway overhead and a railway in between—certainly showing the different ages of travel. The notice on the motorway showing 'Queue ahead' brought a smile, as we had a completely empty canal to ourselves.
This time the whole country was under rain, so it was a very short day for us, so had had enough by the time we arrived at the very attractive Smethwick Locks, that lowers the canal to the Main Line into Birmingham. I mention attractive as the whole area had been landscaped and mown, but alas the description did not include the waterway, as the local residents still look on the cut as a dumping ground, as the detritus dragged out of the water shows.
Deserted
We had not met or passed a single boat since leaving the solitary Anglo Welsh on the Wolverhampton 21—the whole Wolverhampton Level was deserted. Mind you the weather could have been the cause, as it certainly was for walkers and cyclists. Could count them on one hand. It was wet! So we let She Who Must do the steering!
It was at Bromsgrove we found a new Sainbury's, (pictured) a fairly short walk away from the cut, complete with mooring bollards just by High Bridge—though it isn't.
Though a regular Tesco shopper, I find Sainsbury's to have better quality produce and a longer use-by date, which as you boaters will well know is essential when cruising. Mind you, to my mind they both beat Morrison's, with the one at Rugeley, a regular stop for us, having the produce we needed with only two or three days use. I expect you get what you pay for.
Just a shower the next day, so away we went, passing straight through Birmingham in the sunshine, with even She Who Must who is always treated to a crispy duck at the Chinese restaurant in Birmingham, foregoing her treat, and so to Farmers Bridge Flight out of the city. Of course we were going down, so every lock was empty and needed filling, but such is cruising these days.